Behind the Name
by YeuxBleu
Summary: ShikaTema. War breaks out between the Hidden Villages. Read to find out more : Rated M for uncertainty. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I

"I _hate _this so much," the young woman complained, frowning at the ceiling she had been starring at. "And they say this is a woman's most precious stage in life. Liars," she scoffed, unable to find a more comfortable position in her bed due to her parasitic oppression.

"Hey, you're almost done with it, anyway." The young man sitting beside her assured her, though his tone was lacking in sympathy. "And when it's all over, troublesome though it may be, I'll be able to help out a little."

"For some reason, I highly doubt that, Nara Shikamaru." She smirked, closing her eyes and allowing her overflowing thoughts to be processed.

"Heh," Shikamaru replied, rubbing the back of his neck with a bashful grin on his face. "You need anything?"

"I'm fine," she told him, wishing she could turn on her side. "You don't have to stay in here. I wouldn't want to bother you, you know."

Shikamaru smirked, nodding at his wife. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, though it was more touching to her than it may have seemed. "I'm gonna go pay Chouji a visit then. I'll be back before sundown." He told her, waving goodbye as he slipped through the doorway and headed outside. He ran a shaky hand through his dark hair, upset for his miserable wife. He had no idea how troublesome women could be, and with children, they're even worse! He hoped, and hoped, and hoped that his child would not be some troublesome girl. Please, anything but that.

He stepped out into the streets of Konoha, nearly getting plowed over by a horse-drawn merchant's cart. The merchant looked behind himself and yelled, "Sorry, sir!"

Shikamaru shook his head, his signature scowl plastered to his face as he began walking again. The Akimichi house was only two buildings down from his own home, so he arrived rather quickly. He walked up the four stone steps and knocked lazily on the door, surprised to hear a scream, several footsteps, and a chorus of girlish giggles from inside. The door was thrust open towards the inside, and a worn-out Chouji was standing in the doorway. The sight of his best friend brightened things up a bit, and he forced a smile and invited him in.

"What brings you here?" Chouji asked Shikamaru as the two sat down on a couch in the living room. "You look a little upset. Is it Temari?"

"Yeah, it's about time for the baby to come, and she's getting pretty fed up with waiting. Not that I blame her." Shikamaru sighed, lowering his head a little as he waited for Chouji to speak.

"Really? I don't really know how you feel, since Ino handled pregnancy without a single drop of sweat; it was amazing! I just wish we had more kids." He laughed, using sarcasm in his last statement. "But I think you'll enjoy being a father, Shikamaru. _Especially _if you have girls. They're the cute ones, you know. Besides, girls tend to cling to their mothers."

"Yeah, how fortunate." Came Ino's voice from the kitchen, trying to get her children to leave her alone. "Go bother daddy, sweeties." After she had said that, three little girls ran into the living room and piled on top of their much larger father.

"I don't think I could handle triplets," Shikamaru said truthfully.

"You could if they all resembled your wife I bet, just like my little girls." Chouji smiled, lifting one of them up in the air and tossing her.

"Three little Ino clones? Are you serious? Sounds like a nightmare, and if I had three little Temaris, I shudder to think of how my life would be." Shikamaru told his friend while shaking a little as he thought about dealing with such a situation.

Clouds filled the skies over Sunagakure, growing darker with each passing hour. Small roars of thunder could be heard from above, but the lightning had not yet revealed itself. As the clouds held their fluids in, three ANBU sprinted through the darkening streets, making their way towards the Kazekage's mansion. They leaped and were lost from eyesight momentarily, due to their excellent speed, and appeared within the Kazekage's chamber.

"Kazekage-sama," one of them spoke, a scroll held firmly in his left hand. "We've just come from Kirigakure, and we bring urgent news regarding the--" Before the Black Op could finish his sentence, the Kazekage snatched the scroll from him, using sand manipulated into the form of a hand to do so. The Kazekage took the scroll from his sand and slid it open, his pale eyes roving over the writing swiftly. His eyes suddenly narrowed, and he angrily through the scroll to the floor, where it rolled across the large room until it lightly tapped a wall at the other side.

"So, the Mizukage wants a war, does he?" He asked rhetorically, his voice deep and hateful. "So be it. Inform my brother at once; make sure he delivers the message to my people."

"_Hai_," replied all three ANBU at once, and they left immediately, leaving the Kazekage to himself. The ANBU moved swiftly towards a building not far from the mansion, which was located in the center of the village, and entered through an open window. They spotted the black-suited Jounin at a desk, and were sure that he had been aware of their presence.

"What is it?" He asked as he concentrated on the letter he was writing.

"Your brother wishes us to inform you that this village is henceforth at war with Kirigakure, Kankuro-san." One of the ANBU said, foreseeing the action Kankuro took as he stood up quickly, pushing the chair back several feet and turned to look at them.

"What? War! Damn it," Kankuro cursed, slamming his fist onto his desk, knocking over the ink which began to bleed over his nearly completed letter. He would have to tell his fellow villagers the news, but there was someone else he needed to inform as well. "Alright, I need you to find Baki-sensei. Have him deliver the news to the people; he's the better spokesman. As for myself, I need to travel to Konoha."

Ino stepped out of the kitchen, sighing as she came up behind the men on the couch, and called her daughters to put them to bed. Chouji and Shikamaru had still been talking on the couch, discussing fatherhood and other such things.

"Just don't keep your expectations too high, and everything will be fine. Well, Ino's expectations are always high, but I always seem to squeeze by." He laughed, though his warm smile faded when he noticed his friend still looked down. "Listen, I was a little bummed when Ino gave birth, but I'm telling you, you're going to love being a dad."

"I'm not so sure," Shikamaru sighed. "I know I'm a Jounin now, and I have teams to organize, but I've never had to _keep _something organized, is the problem. With a team, you go on a mission, work through the problems, return home, and you're through. However, when it comes to raising a family, there's commitment involved. I know I swore to stay with Temari through good and bad, but I'm starting to have some severe doubts here."

Chouji frowned and starred down at his shirt. "You may be lazy, Shikamaru, but you're smart, and you're tough. You'll get through this, no matter what obstacles are thrown in your way."

"What if the kid doesn't like me?" Shikamaru added, a silly frown on his lips.

"I wouldn't blame it," Chouji snickered, then stood up and headed into the kitchen. "Well, Ino's putting the girls to sleep. Do you want anything? Tea, ramen, anything, you name it."

"Thanks Chouji," Shikamaru smirked as he stood up. "I guess I could stay for tea." Shikamaru followed his friend into the kitchen, watching him pour a small cup of green tea, then placed it down on the table, which Shikamaru had already sat himself at. "So, are you guys planning on having any more kids?"

"Nah, Ino's got enough work as it is. I don't want to add to that burden for selfish reasons like passing on my name. I honestly don't care enough about it, you know." Chouji replied, a happy grin on his face as he watched Shikamaru sip at the scalding hot tea.

"Geez," Shikamaru blurted, running up to the sink and releasing the hot liquid from his mouth. "Man, I'm really not thinking, huh?"

"You know," Chouji said, trying not to laugh. "You really need to loosen up. Maybe you need a mission, or something exciting to come up to take your mind off the whole thing."

"Nah, I couldn't go on a mission with Temari about to have this kid, it just wouldn't be right. She needs me now more than ever. It's such a drag, but whatever."

"Really? Because Ino _wanted _me out when she was pregnant. Hmm, women." Chouji shrugged.

"Here, here,"

Kankuro, unable to continue running, slowed his pace down to a jog as he continued on his way to the Leaf. His feet were sinking in the sand, causing him more trouble than he needed. The massive desert had always given travelers a difficult time when crossing it, and now with the brutal sun finally setting, the freezing night was almost upon him.

The sand began to grow dark, its golden brown color slowing becoming a pastel sea of blue and green. However, Kankuro trudged onwards, hoping to reach his sister before Konoha fell under attack, itself. He had no time to set up camp, he simply had to reach his destination. The cold desert winds began to stir, buffeting him as he walked. It was a minor inconvenience, but his determination overrode all irritability.

He remember crossing this very section of the sandy sea before, but he had done so with his siblings. Now, his family was all but happily together. His brother, Gaara, had worked for and achieved the title of Kazekage. His sister, Temari, had left Sunagakure for Konoha, where she wed and settled down with Shikamaru. Kankuro had never seen eye-to-eye with his sister's husband, but he was happy for her nonetheless. He was unable to attend the wedding, but even Gaara made time. He felt guilty for not spending time with his sister, and not visiting her since she left the Sand Village. His trip to Konoha would probably be unpleasant; Temari was as unforgiving as the desert nights.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Shikamaru stood in the doorway of Chouji's house, waving goodbye and thanking him for the tea. As he gently closed the door, he could hear children screaming from upstairs, and smirked to himself. He was going to enjoy hearing that all night, he could tell. He cursed himself when he noticed the sun was already out of sight, and so, he sprinted home, which didn't take long at all. He arrived at the front steps shortly, then glided up them and opened the door. He heard muffled moaning, and assumed the worst, heading straight for the bedroom.

"Oh, good," Temari winced. "You're back. I could use some help, here."

"Oh, um, geez," Shikamaru panicked, looking around the room nervously. "I'll get Tsunade-sama. I'll be right back. Don't worry, Temari." He darted out of the room and out on the streets again, running straight for the Hokage's palace. He didn't stop or slow down for an instant; his wife was counting on him, and he wasn't going to disappoint her. He climbed the stairs that lead up the side of the palace; everything he saw was a blended blur of dull colors. He then barged through the doors and ran straight for the Hokage's office. He knocked frantically on the door, and was allowed entry.

"Oh, hello, Shikamaru," Tsunade greeted, looking a tad distract. "You seem in a hurry, what's wrong?"

"Temari," he replied, hoping it would be self explanatory.

"Oh, it's time, then?" Tsunade asked, standing up immediately. "We'd better get going. Um, Shizune, stay here. I don't expect this to take very long."

Shikamaru and Tsunade ran through the darkened streets as quickly as possible, which was surprisingly fast. They picked up a considerable amount of dirt as they ran, leaving a cloud of it as they ran. When they arrived back at Shikamaru's house, they entered swiftly and went to the bedroom, where Tsunade coaxed Temari to relax. Tsunade looked at Shikamaru, and nodded at him to leave and gather a rag and a bucket of water. She needn't verbalize her needs; Shikamaru knew what was required for such an operation.

Shikamaru ran into his kitchen, grabbing a small towel that had been hanging on a metal rod, then filled a bowl, the closest thing he could find to a bucket, with water. He returned to the bedroom in a matter of seconds, placing the full bowl on the nightstand, then dipped the rag into it, wrung it out, and gently laid it on his wife's forehead.

"Alright, I assume you want to wait outside, Shikamaru?" Tsunade asked as Temari began taking deep breaths.

"No, I'm staying here with her." Shikamaru replied, a nervous grin on his face. He knelt beside the bed and took Temari's hand, rubbing his thumb over it gently. Temari squeezed her husband's hand as the infant neared the exit.

"Okay, Temari, keep breathing like that, and push, just as hard as you possibly can." Tsunade instructed her, and Temari complied right away. Shikamaru didn't dare look at the end of the bed where Tsunade was stationed. Instead, he focused his beady eyes on Temari's damp face, still rubbing her hand gently. It was killing him inside to see his wife like this. She never expressed a want for children, and was granted one regardless.

It didn't seem fair in Shikamaru's eyes that she had to suffer for something she never wanted, and he prayed that she would be happy when the struggle was over. He, himself, never really wanted children, and, in all honesty, he didn't care what sex his child would be. He partially hoped that he would have a boy, not for the sake of legacy, but because he found women troublesome. The other half of him wished for a girl, partly because of his friend's encouraging words. Not only that, but he was sure that Temari would appreciate a daughter more than a son.

"Almost there, Temari," Lady Tsunade assured the hardworking woman.

Temari nodded weakly, pushing harder in hopes to end it finally. She let out a gasp, and newborn shrieks filled the room. Temari sank back into her pillow as Shikamaru gently ran the wet cloth over her forehead. Her respiratory system was still in full swing after the delivery, but it gradually began to slow down. Tsunade walked over to the bedside, infant in her arms as she cleaned it up, then knelt beside Temari and showed her the final product of nine miserable months.

"Shikamaru, go fetch a cloth for your new daughter." Tsunade instructed with a smile on her face.

"A girl?" Temari asked, a smile coming to her face.

"Yes, and she looks like you, of course. We should all be thankful for that." Tsunade smirked.

"I heard that," Shikamaru called from the bedroom's closet. He searched within the tiny room for some sort of blanket, hating himself for not being prepared. He dug his arms and face deep within a pile of chromatic clothing, searching for the softest piece of the bunch. His finger lightly brushed something downy and comfortable. He reached in further, knocking several hangups onto his back, grabbed the fabric and tugged it out gently. When he was able to see it, he realized it was the pink belt that Temari used to wear about her waist. He rubbed his thumbs over the soft material, allowing sweet memories of years past to take over him. He turned around then, making his way back to the bed, and handed Tsunade the belt. She, too, recognized the significance, but not because of the piece of cloth itself; it was because of Shikamaru's tranquil expression.

Tsunade wrapped the child in the comfy linen and handed her to Temari, then looked over at Shikamaru. "How's it feel, Nara?"

"I have to say, it's a lot better than what I was thinking a day or two ago." Shikamaru smirked.

"That's good. So, have you two thought of a name, yet?" Tsunade inquired, blinking at the expressions on the couple's faces. "No? Well, I suppose there's no rush. I'm going to head back to my office. Congratulations you two." Tsunade said with a wide grin, then headed slowly for the door.

Shikamaru looked down at his sleeping daughter fondly. He honestly couldn't help the strange emotion that took over his body. Chouji had been right; he was loving fatherhood.

"Tsunade-sama was right," Temari sighed, interrupting Shikamaru's moment. "She does need a name."

"When it comes to naming things, I lack in creativity." Shikamaru smirked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I wasn't thinking of a name at all. Well, no matter. It's not like she needs one right off the bat. I say we come up with a good name, in time." Temari suggested.

"Sounds good to me." Shikamaru smiled, lowering his body to the bed. "So, um, can I?"

"Go ahead," Temari replied handing him the sleeping infant. After doing so, she sighed and shut her eyes. "Man, that was more energy-sapping than any training I've ever done under Baki-sensei." She teased and made Shikamaru chuckle.

"Blue eyes, blonde hair," Shikamaru pointed out. "Man, she doesn't look a thing like me."

"Let's hope she doesn't inherit your lack of enthusiasm."

"You're one to talk," he smirked, smiling down at his daughter. He felt out of character, due to his strange new emotions. Perhaps they come with the job, he convinced himself. He heard a knocking on the door, a slapping noise, and a shout.

"Hey, Sakura! What the hell was that for?!" Came a familiar voice, one that Shikamaru hadn't been all too thrilled to hear. "Hey, open up, Shikamaru!"

"What a pain in the neck," Shikamaru sighed, handing the baby back to Temari. "Guess I'll go get the door." With that, he walked out of the bedroom and into the awful manila colored hall. Upon the walls of said hall, pictures were hanging, displaying, friends, family, and those lost forever.

The picture hanging closest to the bedroom was of Shikamaru and Temari on their wedding day. Temari was dressed in her gown, Shikamaru in his tuxedo. The two of them looked so very happy, and took comfort in knowing that they would forever be with each other, no matter what happened. The one beside it was of Team 10: Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru, and the late Sarutobi Asuma. Shikamaru often caught himself watching that very picture, imagining Asuma's carefree voice playing on in his head. Sometimes, Shikamaru wished the man lived long enough for the cigarettes to have killed him, instead.

"Hey! Shikamaru! It's freezing out here!"

"N...Naruto, don't be impatient."

As Shikamaru finally reached the door, he turned the knob, and the knuckle head ninja burst inside. Sakura sighed and shook her head, walking in after him, and she was followed by Hinata.

"Naruto, don't you dare wake the baby up." Shikamaru scoffed, glad to see that Naruto took heed of the warning.

"How's Temari feeling?" Sakura asked with a smile. "I bet she's relieved it's finally over."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's all been a real drag for her. But, whatever, it's all over now." Shikamaru shrugged, leading his friends into the bedroom. "How'd you guys find out so quickly, anyway?"

"We kinda ran into Granny on the way to Ichiraku." Naruto informed him, walking over to Temari and the baby. "So, this kid have a name, yet?"

"Well, no," Temari replied, smiling in spite of herself. "We haven't really been thinking of any names."

"Boy or girl?" Hinata asked shyly, her pale eyes resting on the slumbering child.

"Troublesome girl," Temari answered for Shikamaru.

"Wow, she really looks a lot like you, Temari." Sakura pointed out, restating the obvious.

"Thank Go-- Ow!"

"Don't be such a pest," Shikamaru scoffed, turning his back on Naruto. Just after the words left his mouth, however, a soft cry was heard. He quickly turned around towards the bed and his frown grew wider. "Great, nice work, Naruto."

"Me?! You're the one that hit me!" Naruto protested, his signature squinty eyes and scowl forming on his face.

"I wouldn't have done it if you didn't say that overused joke." Shikamaru retorted. "I've heard it enough today."

"Um, Naruto," Hinata said in her quiet voice. "Perhaps, we should...get going?"

"Yeah, we need to let get back to the baby." Sakura agreed, shoving Naruto out of the door. "It was nice seeing you both. Congratulations, too!"

When Shikamaru heard the front door close shut, he sighed and walked around to the other side of the bed, where he climbed in and laid out on top of the covers. He drew closer to Temari, leaning on his elbows to prop his upper body up. "Sorry about all that," he said over the baby's cries.

"I'd expect nothing less of you." Temari taunted, a smile crossing her lips. "You get some sleep, and I'll nurse her to sleep. It's been a long day for both of us, so just try to get some rest."

Shikamaru almost disliked not being able to help, and the fact that his wife was doing all the work so far made him feel completely insignificant. He shifted his weight on his elbows, gently sliding under the covers, then closed his eyes to finish the troublesome day.

"Feels good to be out of the desert every once in a while." Said Kankuro as he kicked at a rock lying on the dirt trail that lead to his destination. "Although, I'm starting to feel the lack of rest in my feet." He frowned, still walking. It had taken him several hours to travel through the desert, and now that he was in the forest, he was happy to know that he was close. Normally, a trip from the Sand Village to the Leaf Village would take at least a day or two, but Kankuro had no time to waste.

As he continued walking, he noticed a presence up ahead, and kept his guard up as he approached the potential threat. When he was closer, he saw the outline of a hooded figure kneeling next to the side of the trail. There was something familiar about the person, but Kankuro couldn't tell for sure. Luckily, he sensed little threat from the figure, and when he was a good seven feet away, he greeted him.

"It's a little late to be out and about, isn't it?" Kankuro asked, stopping beside him.

"State your purpose here, or leave." The figure replied, one of his hands resting in the grass before him while his other hand reached for a kunai.

"Oh, I know you," Kankuro stated, the familiarity turning into recognition. "You're from the Chuunin exams. You kept making a big deal about your clan, the...Akimichi? No, the...um,"

"The Aburame Clan, yes." He corrected as he stood up. Kankuro could clearly make out a mass of tiny insects crawling up the person's hand. "What is it that you want?"

"I'm here to deliver a message to my sister. The name's Kankuro, by the way." He informed him, reintroducing himself.

"Shino," replied the Aburame. "Your sister would be Temari, then, correct?"

"Yes,"

"I will escort you, then. Follow me." Shino said and began to walk towards the gates.

Konoha was a beautiful village, even in the dark of the night. Kankuro found himself starring up at the sign mounted above the open gates. Large red Japanese letters adorned the sides of the gates, and the ends of the sign, while in the center, the symbol of Konoha, the Leaf, stood brilliantly in bold red. The gates themselves were enormous and constructed entirely of wood. The sign on top, however, seemed to be some sort of metal.

It was difficult to see the normally bright colors of Konoha during the darkness, but Kankuro's memory of the village aided his mental image of the place. People were still out in the streets, buying and selling, roaming from one place to the other. He hadn't been to Konoha in so long, and it looked so peaceful when compared to his own home.

"The Nara house isn't too far in." Shino said suddenly. "In fact, we're almost there."

Kankuro nodded, though he knew that Shino would be unable to have seen it. He continued following behind the Aburame boy, and stopped when he did. They stood before a building, its dark green shingles glistening in the light of the moon. Kankuro took a few steps forward, then walked up the few stairs in front of him. He turned around to thank Shino, but the mysterious boy had already disappeared. Kankuro shrugged his shoulders, and knocked on the dark door.

He heard a thud inside, then a groan. Reluctant footsteps clattered their way to the door, which opened after only a moment. Within the doorway stood a drowsy Shikamaru, yawning and still not fully awake. Kankuro ducked under the young man's arm and stepped inside the house. He took a moment to look around, the pictures hanging on the wall piquing his interest. He recognized Shikamaru and his team from several years back, and his own sister. Another picture displayed what Kankuro assumed to be Shikamaru's parents. The man looked just like Shikamaru, even the pointed goatee that he had taken to growing. The scars, however, were not in common, but those were simple minor details. The woman, though, had long blonde hair, nearly the same shade as Temari's. The woman hardly looked like Shikamaru at all, which caused a smirk to cross Kankuro's lips.

"So, what are you doing here this late?" Shikamaru yawned.

"Where's Temari?" Kankuro asked quietly.

"Sleeping," Shikamaru replied, unenthusiastically. "Why?"

"I have something important to tell her."

"Why don't you wait 'till morning? It's a drag, but I guess I can let you sleep in the living room on the couch. You've come a long way; it's the least I can do." Shikamaru muttered.

"Thank you," Kankuro smirked. "It's vital information, but I would hate to wake Temari up."

"Wise decision." Shikamaru replied, returning the smirk. Over the next few seconds, however, curiosity got the best of him. "What is it you need to tell her? I'm a Special Jounin of this village, so I guess that gives me a right to know, right? Unless, it's something personal, in which case, I may not _want _to know."

Kankuro sat upon the couch and sighed, resting his elbows on his knees, starring down at his shoes. "The Mizukage declared Kirigakure at war with Sunagakure."

"What?" Shikamaru gasped, still a little too fatigued to process much thought. "Kirigakure has a considerably larger amount of ninja than the Sand. Given that information, the Kazekage will be forced to place a--"

"A draft, yes." Kankuro sighed.

"Temari's in no condition to go to war." Shikamaru protested, clenching his fists at the unfairness of it all.

"What're you talking about? Temari's always in top condition. If anything, she'll only speak against the war. Despite her personality, she despises war above all else."

"You mean, you don't know?" Asked Shikamaru, frowning.

"Know what?" Kankuro raised a brow.

"Temari's, well, she's got more than just me to deal with now." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I see," Kankuro muttered, shutting his eyes. He hated being so oblivious to his sister's life. It came to the point where he was unsure if he even knew her anymore. "You go back to sleep. I'll talk with her in the morning."

"Right," Shikamaru sighed sadly, walking back towards the bedroom. He wasn't sure how Temari would take the draft, but knowing her, she wasn't one to run away from a fight. Wars were anything but meaningful in Temari's mind. However, if her brother had issued a draft, there was little chance that she would be exempt.

He dropped down to his knees silently, and crawled back into the comforting sheets next to his wife.

"So, who was at the door?" She asked, startling him.

"Um, don't worry about it, now. You'll see in the morning." Shikamaru said gently, wondering how long she had been awake and what all she had heard.

The next morning came swiftly, too quick for Shikamaru to rest soundly. He awoke early with a loud yawn, and he stretched his sleeping limbs and scrambled up to his feet. He noticed Temari had already woken up, and she had left the room with the baby. Shikamaru scratched his goatee and left the room, finding Temari, Kankuro, and the nameless child in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, sis," Kankuro frowned, his painted eyebrows creasing in sorrow.

"It's not your fault, so stop apologizing." Temari replied heatedly. "If Sunagakure is at war, then they will need every available ninja to help and fight. War is a bitch, but I'm not going to watch it fall from the safety of my new home. I'm going to fight."

Shikamaru and Kankuro couldn't believe what they just heard.

"Temari, you can't." Shikamaru frowned.

"Can't I?" Temari scoffed. "_Never_ underestimate me, Nara Shikamaru."

"But what about the kid?" Shikamaru asked. He hoped his question would persuade Temari against fighting, but she had apparently already figured everything out.

"I hate to do this to you, of all people, but I'm leaving her with you."

"She'd be better off in the streets." Shikamaru sighed. "I'm not going to play the single dad with a newborn. I can't handle that kind of pressure, Temari."

"Maybe I should try finding a more suitable father, then."

"Don't say that," he frowned. "I'll do it."

Temari felt her heart drop when she looked upon her husband's expression. The baby in her arms began to squirm, and then it started to shriek. Temari stood up and walked towards the refrigerator, where she took a bottle of a milky substance in her free hand and sat back down. While Shikamaru had still been asleep, she and Kankuro went to the market and bought baby formula. Temari disliked the idea of breastfeeding, and the child was so frail that she needed an extra boost of calcium.

"When do you plan on leaving?" Shikamaru asked, interrupting Temari's thoughts.

"Immediately," Temari frowned. "If you need any help with her, I'm sure the Akimichi will offer you a hand."

"I'd hate to be a burden." Shikamaru said without any enthusiasm in his tone. "They've got three, already."

"Good luck, then." Temari grinned, happiness beginning to seep back into her. "We're new to the whole parenting thing, but you're no idiot. I'm sure you'll figure it out."


End file.
